Podouken
220 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 43 ratingsA PODCAST FOR ARCADE LOVERS. From the owners of 100+ arcade and pinball cabinets, and the proprietors of a real-life arcade comes PODOUKEN, a brand new podcast that takes a deep dive into the world of video arcade games, and explores the history, story, strategy, art, music, restoration, preservation and fun of arcade games.
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Episodes
Neo Geo 1995 - Episode 117
April 17, 2024 04:01 - 2 hours - 183 MBTravel back to the year 1995 when we all found out who shot Mr. Burns, Apollo 13 came out so that all future movie trailers can use James Horner’s music for their dramatic themes, and Calvin & Hobbes sled off into the snow one final time. Reminisce as the Podouken crew assembles their Neo Geo 4 slot with their picks of 1995 with Savage Reign, Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash, Pulstar, and Puzzle de Pon! Why are this year’s MVS releases an attack of the clones? How did this episode become so...
Neo Geo 1994 - Episode 116
April 03, 2024 03:53 - 3 hours - 247 MBWelcome to the year 1994 where the White House launched a website with unintended results, the Mandela effect kicked into high gear, and the most-watched car race ever was televised. Let’s dust off an old miniseries, clean out the slots, and assemble the Neo Geo 4 slot with the Podouken picks for 1994 with Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy, Windjammers, Aero Fighters 2, and Zed Blade. What beloved childhood show just came back and why is the crew so psyched about it? Is up, right, left, up, right...
Arcade Obscura (Beast Mode) - Episode 115
March 20, 2024 04:03 - 1 hour - 139 MBIt was fun while it lasted but it’s time to retire the Beast Mode miniseries in the best way possible - with an Arcade Obscura! Each host brings their pick of an obscure or underrated arcade game that (mostly) fits the theme. What obscure arcade game is so divisive it has Rob yelling into the microphone? How does Adam take the purest sport in the world today, and Texas’s national pastime, and turn it into some kind of game?! Did Jarrod once again subvert the miniseries rules with his game...
Centipede - Episode 114
March 13, 2024 04:11 - 1 hour - 136 MBFrom one sentence in a notebook to a hundred digital legs, we talk about Atari’s second best selling game ever and one of the highest-grossing in arcade history, Centipede. What makes Centipede so appealing to female players? How did Space Invaders lead Dona Bailey from Cadillacs to Atari? Why was there a delay in releasing this episode and is our excuse good enough for forgiveness? How did the first Atari World Championships spotlight that women could be better than men at video games? ...
Joust - Episode 113
February 21, 2024 05:12 - 2 hours - 192 MBHear ye, hear ye! His Majesty King Williams invites you to witness the magnificent tournament in ye Land of Molten Magma and Stoned Clouds where brave knights shalt ride their bird and shalt fight with lance. It is long past time to talk about one of the best arcade games ever made… Joust! Who are you playing as in this game? How did the popular ‘Fire’ button get replaced with another four-letter ‘F’ word? What is the “Rob Throb” (and why should we never talk about it again)? How many Jou...
Trog - Episode 112
February 07, 2024 05:03 - 1 hour - 140 MBLong, long ago in the land of Og there lived a one-eyed caveman by the name of Trog, and in that land there lived four friends: Rex and Bloop, Spike and Gwen. Let’s control some colorful claymation dinos and grab some eggs in Bally/Midway’s Trog - in PLAYmation! Why was the original game much different than the Trog that we got? Exactly who’s cloaca did all these eggs come from? Is this the first arcade game to use claymation? What comic strip character did Jack Haeger base the titular ch...
Primal Rage - Episode 111
January 24, 2024 05:21 - 2 hours - 172 MBWelcome to Urth! It’s like Earth but in the future and all the continents look like a dinosaur skull burping fire. This is the world of stop-motion dinosaurs, peetalities, and human volleyball. This is the world of Primal Rage. Why is the Tiger R-Zone the superior arcade port console to play Primal Rage on? How was a stealthy musician involved in this game? Why are level inputs so despised when compared to edge inputs? Who has the best names for the Primal Rage fatalities? We are tasked...
Bubble Bobble - Episode 110
January 10, 2024 13:49 - 1 hour - 164 MBNow, it is beginning of a fantastic story! Let’s make a journey to the Cave of Monsters! Good luck! In this beastly episode we will visit with Bub and Bob as we become the best Bubble Bobble bubble blowers on the block! Is Bubble Bobble the ultimate introvert shaming game? What is a potato party? How much money did Jarrod find in his newly acquired coin pusher? How much “Ice Ice Baby” is too much “Ice Ice Baby?” All that and listener questions! This episode we answer, “What is the larg...
Mappy - Episode 109
December 27, 2023 04:52 - 2 hours - 166 MBWe’re back and we have a doctor’s note for our absence. So let’s continue our Beast Mode series by exploring the ultimate game of cat and mouse with Namco’s Mappy! Why did Pastblaster just pick up two new meowkies of his own? What ever happened to Micro Machines icon, Motormouth John? How did a Journey discussion make its way into this episode? What free games did Jarrod just score from a local laundromat? The listener questions this week are some thinkers: what new Marvel and Capcom c...
Frogger - Episode 108
November 29, 2023 05:09 - 1 hour - 154 MBWe’re going Beast Mode in this new miniseries by starting off with a “g*ddamn kids game!” It’s time to play the Konami developed and the Sega/Gremlin released Frogger. How did a “cross the road” joke turn into this super successful arcade game? Who was the heroine responsible for bringing Frogger to the States? What unfortunate series of events led to a breakdown on the side of the road, in a swamp, in the rain, with a bunch of pinball and arcade games in an open trailer? Who finally beat...
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon - Episode 107
November 15, 2023 05:00 - 2 hours - 151 MBFighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, never running from a real fight, she is the one named Sailor Moon. The final episode of the fourth Listeners’ Choice miniseries is going full shoujo with the short-lived Gazelle’s Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. How did a fateful encounter with a cat lead to the reawakening of a millenia old moon princess? What’s the difference between Rhett Butler and Brett Butler? Why can’t we skip certain cutscenes in this game? What type of censorship ...
Superman - Episode 106
November 01, 2023 04:17 - 2 hours - 138 MBOur Listeners’ Choice miniseries continues with the penultimate episode! It’s a bird… It’s a plane… But is it a good game? It’s Taito’s Superman! Why is Superman fighting the Elephant Man? How do we know geography wasn’t the Taito development team’s strong suit? What does Muhammed Ali have to do with this game? How cheap were the prices for the world’s oldest profession in 1989?! So sit down and enjoy a bowl of fresh Giger Orbs as we offer our suggestions on how to make a good Superman...
City Connection - Episode 105
October 18, 2023 05:21 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBIt’s time for the 4th annual Listeners’ Choice miniseries! And we’re excited to search the world for our perfect man with listener RaymondTheFrog as we explore Jaleco’s City Connection. How did Clarice, the punky teenage protagonist, get replaced by a no-name blonde smoker dude on the NES port? Did Jarrod just receive a newly minted nickname? Why is this game constantly compared to Pac-Man? Excuse me but what animal is pictured on the can of oil you’re throwing at the police? Find out ...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Turtles in Time - Episode 104
October 04, 2023 03:47 - 2 hours - 152 MBGrowing up in a glass bowl with chameleons, lizards, and tadpoles, it hardly enters your mind that there’s something better than this. But pizza power - a flying saucer food delight. Pizza power, oh, that’s what makes us feel alright! Time is up for the Cartoon miniseries as we explore the questionable history that is TMNT: Turtles in Time. When did this game actually hit arcades and why is Jarrod ready to fight someone over it? Why is this the only licensed beat ‘em up that Konami gave a...
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero - Episode 103
September 20, 2023 04:00 - 2 hours - 137 MBSound Boy makes its triumphant return! Since it’s nearly our 4th birthday it’s fitting we talk about the Cartoon arcade game that puts cake on full display - Konami’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. What is the devastating truth behind the origin of this game? Is this the first arcade game based on a doll? How many times is “Yo Joe!” uttered in this episode (seriously we’ll send some prizes to whomever counts it up)? Is this the most carnivore-friendly episode we’ve ever released? We d...
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs - Episode 102
September 06, 2023 05:38 - 2 hours - 125 MBWe were too late to throw some poop into the Caddy, hop in the two-seater, and evacuate from the impending hurricane so why not record an episode of the show? And this time we’re not even talking about a Konami property! We’re headed into the future to talk about Capcom’s Captain Planet meets Jurassic Park beat ‘em up, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs! By what name is the uber-popular bootleg of this game known as? Does the cartoon’s theme song slap like our past entries? What is the Hurritrain ga...
Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa - Episode 101
August 23, 2023 04:04 - 2 hours - 131 MBAfter a brief hiatus we are back to continue the Cartoon miniseries with another Konami title. If you’re not a fan of bovine puns that get milked for all they’re worth then this may not be the episode for moo. We are discussing the super punctuated Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa! Is this the spiritual successor to Sunset Riders? Which Macaulay Culkin character did young PastBlaster emulate? Will Rob’s voice (and body) ever recover? Does Moo Mesa have the best country theme song ever ai...
The Simpsons – Episode 100
July 26, 2023 04:55DOWNLOAD We’re rolling over the episode count to triple digits and pulling out all the stops. For our hundredth episode we are covering THE cartoon arcade game – The Simpsons. And who better to talk Simpsons than with guest Chris... Read more
The Simpsons - Episode 100
July 26, 2023 04:47 - 3 hours - 184 MBWe're rolling over the episode count to triple digits and pulling out all the stops. For our hundredth episode we are covering THE cartoon arcade game - The Simpsons. And who better to talk Simpsons than with guest Chris Antista! What characters appear in the arcade game that never have appeared in the cartoon? Was Brian Dennehy really Bigfoot? Is this the longest (and last) episode? Why is Marge throwing ass all around Springfield? We close out our marathon show with the origin ...
Bucky O’Hare – Episode 099
July 12, 2023 04:05DOWNLOAD In another dimension, another time and space, a parallel universe was fallin’ on its face. When out of the chaos, who else could it be but the animal adventures from S.P.A.C.E.? It’s time to talk about Bucky – Konami’s... Read more
Bucky O'Hare - Episode 099
July 12, 2023 03:54 - 2 hours - 132 MBIn another dimension, another time and space, a parallel universe was fallin’ on its face. When out of the chaos, who else could it be but the animal adventures from S.P.A.C.E.? It’s time to talk about Bucky - Konami’s Bucky O’Hare! Are we the only podcast to ever spend 2+ hours talking about the Bucky O’Hare arcade game? Did Konami pour more time and effort into this game than any of their other licensed titles? What part does Sugar Bear from “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” play in the c...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Episode 098
June 29, 2023 19:41DOWNLOAD A new miniseries begins as we explore arcade games based on cartoons (and there’s going to be a lot of bangers). To start, we enter the animated sewers to bring you the #1 most-requested arcade game – Konami’s Teenage... Read more
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Episode 098
June 29, 2023 19:35 - 2 hours - 145 MBA new miniseries begins as we explore arcade games based on cartoons (and there’s going to be a lot of bangers). To start, we enter the animated sewers to bring you the #1 most-requested arcade game - Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! How did this game pave the way for Konami arcade domination in the early 90s? Does TMNT have the best gag of any arcade game? Did Lindsay Lohan draw the training scene art for Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! on a V-Tech Video Painter? Did Konami try to give th...
Arcade Obscura (Mounted Gun) – Episode 097
June 14, 2023 11:47DOWNLOAD We bring the Mounted Gun miniseries to a close with a good old fashioned Arcade Obscura. Each of us brings our pick for an obscure or underrated mounted gun game but one game is so obscure we invite the... Read more
Arcade Obscura (Mounted Gun) - Episode 097
June 14, 2023 11:39 - 2 hours - 146 MBWe bring the Mounted Gun miniseries to a close with a good old fashioned Arcade Obscura. Each of us brings our pick for an obscure or underrated mounted gun game but one game is so obscure we invite the only person known to own it onto the podcast - Doc Mack from The Galloping Ghost arcade! Who is giving all these zombies guns? What American city has its own arcade game named after it? Are birthday cake Oreos really as gross as we make them out to be (yes)? Will an arcade game nearly 30 y...
Revolution X – Episode 096
May 31, 2023 04:01DOWNLOAD We’re back in the saddle again with another Midway mounted gun game that’s not the same old song and dance. So if you don’t want to miss a thing then walk this way as we cover this amazing and... Read more
Revolution X - Episode 096
May 31, 2023 03:45 - 2 hours - 139 MBWe’re back in the saddle again with another Midway mounted gun game that’s not the same old song and dance. So if you don’t want to miss a thing then walk this way as we cover this amazing and crazy game. Let’s get back in the saddle with Revolution X: Music is the Weapon. Featuring: Aerosmith - Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer. Why should this game really have Featuring: Kerri Hoskins instead of Aerosmith? Who is responsible for this game not becoming Boo...
Silent Scope – Episode 095
May 22, 2023 17:35DOWNLOAD Konami trains an entire generation to become snipers as they task you with saving the model 90s American First Family, but not their secretary. In this episode we’re taking a long, focused look at the biggest gun in the... Read more
Silent Scope - Episode 095
May 18, 2023 14:12 - 2 hours - 112 MBKonami trains an entire generation to become snipers as they task you with saving the model 90s American First Family, but not their secretary. In this episode we’re taking a long, focused look at the biggest gun in the arcade, Silent Scope. Why are there so many “wow” moments in this game? Will Jarrod ever reclaim the Mr. SNK title from Rob? Is this the only video game where you can shoot Tom and Jerry in the head or are they in Fortnite? Which version of Silent Scope 2 had the best subt...
Terminator 2: Judgement Day – Episode 094
May 03, 2023 04:02DOWNLOAD Midway hits all their targets when they make THE mounted gun game of the 90s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (and it was all thanks to Narc). What actors gave it their all to bring the arcade game to life?... Read more
Terminator 2 : Judgement Day - Episode 094
May 03, 2023 03:41 - 2 hours - 124 MBMidway hits all their targets when they make THE mounted gun game of the 90s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (and it was all thanks to Narc). What actors gave it their all to bring the arcade game to life? Which host hasn’t seen the prequel to this movie (and how is that not at all surprising)? Who recorded more dialogue for the game than they did for the movie? How does one gameplay tip make this game so much easier? We also answer Discord questions that take us into the legal gray area t...
Operation Wolf – Episode 093
April 19, 2023 04:12DOWNLOAD Let’s play the 80s version of Operation! It has a lot of changes over the popular board game like the tweezers being replaced with an Uzi and instead of Cavity Sam we’re operating on unspecified enemy troops to rescue... Read more
Operation Wolf - Episode 093
April 19, 2023 04:04 - 2 hours - 119 MBLet’s play the 80s version of Operation! It has a lot of changes over the popular board game like the tweezers being replaced with an Uzi and instead of Cavity Sam we’re operating on unspecified enemy troops to rescue hostages… actually these games don’t seem to be related at all. In this episode we’re talking about THE mounted gun game of the 80s, Taito’s Operation Wolf (and the sequels that followed it). What was the name of that kids game show where winners ran through the maze and stu...
Crossbow / Cheyenne / Chiller – Episode 092
April 05, 2023 04:03DOWNLOAD It’s time to explore the way of the light gun with one important condition – it’s mounted to the arcade control panel. Our first episode of this new miniseries explores the transition from electromechanical to video with the Exidy... Read more
Crossbow / Cheyenne / Chiller - Episode 092
April 05, 2023 04:02 - 1 hour - 103 MBIt’s time to explore the way of the light gun with one important condition - it’s mounted to the arcade control panel. Our first episode of this new miniseries explores the transition from electromechanical to video with the Exidy light gun games that brought multiple C’s to the arcade with Crossbow, Cheyenne, and Chiller. Is the Chiller controversy valid? What is the best way to describe the gameplay of Crossbow? How shameful is it to be a former fan of Friends? Which Cheyenne gang has t...
Samurai Shodown – Episode 091
March 22, 2023 04:05DOWNLOAD Iza Jinjou ni Shoubu! Let’s have a good clean fight in this final episode of the Neo Geo 4 Slot miniseries (for now). The board has been repaired and we’re dedicating an entire episode to cover our last selection... Read more
Samurai Shodown - Episode 091
March 22, 2023 03:58 - 2 hours - 144 MBIza Jinjou ni Shoubu! Let’s have a good clean fight in this final episode of the Neo Geo 4 Slot miniseries (for now). The board has been repaired and we’re dedicating an entire episode to cover our last selection of 1993 - Samurai Shodown! Is SamSho the most underrated fighting game of the 90s? How does the Edo period heavily influence this game and make the inclusion of some characters impossible? What blade-handed character is responsible for the creation of Samurai Shodown? Will Mr. SN...
Neo Geo 1993 – Episode 090
March 08, 2023 05:09DOWNLOAD Travel with us back to 1993 when Bill Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States, your mom and grandmother’s favorite collectible was released, Samuel L. Jackson implored people to hold onto their butts, and a Dolly Parton... Read more
Neo Geo 1993 - Episode 090
March 08, 2023 04:59 - 2 hours - 158 MBTravel with us back to 1993 when Bill Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States, your mom and grandmother’s favorite collectible was released, Samuel L. Jackson implored people to hold onto their butts, and a Dolly Parton song takes off again. Sadly it appears our Neo Geo 4-slot has a slight malfunction so we’ll only fill it with three of our four picks this episode with Sengoku 2, 3 Count Bout, and Spin Master. How was PastBlaster’s visit to the Fun Dungeon and why is he so ...
Neo Geo 1992 – Episode 089
February 22, 2023 05:18DOWNLOAD It’s the year 1992 – the public witnesses the first televised presidential threeway debate, eating liver with a nice Chianti is all the rage, and the Cartoon Network debut helps mold the tastes of a generation. Join us as... Read more
Neo Geo 1992 - Episode 089
February 22, 2023 05:08 - 2 hours - 144 MBIt’s the year 1992 - the public witnesses the first televised presidential threeway debate, eating liver with a nice Chianti is all the rage, and the Cartoon Network debut helps mold the tastes of a generation. Join us as we compose our 1992 Neo Geo 4 slot with Mutation Nation, Last Resort, King of the Monsters 2, and Viewpoint. What game gives us some Nautiboys, Thornygirls, and a viking crusader straight out of Mad Max? How do you beat the real-world Gravitron? Why do we have concerns a...
Neo Geo 1991 – Episode 088
February 08, 2023 05:14DOWNLOAD Welcome to the year 1991 where war is the hottest collectible, geography tests just got a whole lot harder, and arguably the best movie sequel ever came out. In this very sick episode we’ll be assembling the Podouken 4... Read more
Neo Geo 1991 - Episode 088
February 08, 2023 05:08 - 2 hours - 124 MBWelcome to the year 1991 where war is the hottest collectible, geography tests just got a whole lot harder, and arguably the best movie sequel ever came out. In this very sick episode we’ll be assembling the Podouken 4 slot with Ghost Pilots, Eight Man, Crossed Swords, and Thrash Rally. Why are we recording this episode remotely? Can you still hire pontoon plane pilots on Fiver? Will we make Jarrod’s childhood dreams come true? Did we stumble upon the original RoboCop? Where can we buy a ...
Neo Geo 1990 – Episode 087
January 25, 2023 05:00DOWNLOAD It’s 1990 – the year of the Berlin Wall coming down, the Hubble Space Telescope going up, and Wilson Phillips asking us to hold on for one more day. In this episode we’ll fill the Podouken 4 Slot Neo... Read more
Neo Geo 1990 - Episode 087
January 25, 2023 04:56 - 2 hours - 164 MBIt’s 1990 - the year of the Berlin Wall coming down, the Hubble Space Telescope going up, and Wilson Phillips asking us to hold on for one more day. In this episode we’ll fill the Podouken 4 Slot Neo Geo with Ninja Combat, Cyber-Lip, The Super Spy, and Blue’s Journey. Does this episode have our worst bit ever? Why is Debra a fat man holding an ax? How are we disappointing the futurists from the 90s? Did SNK make a game about the worst spy ever? We also answer some listener questions (poste...
Neo Geo Launch Titles – Episode 086
January 11, 2023 05:16DOWNLOAD New year, new miniseries as we dedicate our next group of episodes to answer a question posed years ago: “What Neo Geo games make it in the Podouken 4 Slot?” This episode is a gimme as the Neo Geo... Read more
Neo Geo Launch Titles - Episode 086
January 11, 2023 05:08 - 2 hours - 141 MBNew year, new miniseries as we dedicate our next group of episodes to answer a question posed years ago: “What Neo Geo games make it in the Podouken 4 Slot?” This episode is a gimme as the Neo Geo launched with four titles in the US: NAM-1975, Baseball Stars Professional, Top Players Golf, and Magician Lord. What are the hosts’ first memories of the Neo Geo? Did Mr. SNK skate regular or goofy mongo? What are the four games currently in the arcade’s Neo Geo 4 slot? We also answer some quest...
Arcade Obscura (Hollywood) – Episode 085
December 28, 2022 05:02DOWNLOAD We’re closing off the Hollywood miniseries with our first Arcade Obscura in over a year! And it’s been so long that some of us have forgotten how it works (and how much content to prepare for the episode). So... Read more
Arcade Obscura (Hollywood) - Episode 085
December 28, 2022 04:48 - 2 hours - 151 MBWe’re closing off the Hollywood miniseries with our first Arcade Obscura in over a year! And it’s been so long that some of us have forgotten how it works (and how much content to prepare for the episode). So get ready to hear a whole lot about one game (and a little bit about two others) as we bring our picks for obscure or underrated arcade games based on movies. Are we going to cover a Star Wars game in this series? Why are we talking about giving “yutes” drugs? Did we just unlock some o...
Die Hard – Episode 084
December 14, 2022 05:00DOWNLOAD Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho. On this special holiday episode of Podouken we take an in-depth look at not just a Christmas movie, but THE Christmas movie – Die Hard (and the very literal arcade game by... Read more